I Blame YOU

Those are the words that came out of Jennifer Anderson’s mouth as she demanded a refund for her weight-management program.

 

And, even if she hadn’t blurted out those 3 ugly words, the implication is always clear…. “My Failure is YOUR FAULT!”

 

I’ll bet you’ve experience this same situation. It feels ugly…. right?

 

After a year of running my own weight management office and being on the receiving end of this accusation a few times, I decided to take action and formulated a plan.

 

Is It About Value Received?

 

Listen, I don’t mind handing back the money. If someone feels he or she did not receive “value” then there’s no sense arguing.

 

But in this case, it’s not about “value.” It’s all about placing blame. It’s about “deflecting” the real issue at hand. It’s about removing guilt or remorse.  We’ve all been there.

 

Understanding the Blame Game

 

So… the next time I received a refund request and the “I Blame You” accusation, I sat the client down (Jennifer Anderson) and let her know that I was absolutely going to refund her money. This took money right out of the discussion.

 

But, I requested an exit interview so that I could more fully understand what happened and why she felt our company had failed her.

 

Peel Back the Onion

 

To make a long story short… as I peeled back the onion of truth… it turns out this poor woman had no support whatsoever.

• Her husband and kids did not want to eat the healthy menus she prepared.

• Her co-workers constantly offered her junk food at work and said things like, “Come on, just try one..”

• Her closest friends wanted to go out and drink and party which meant there would be no workout the next day.

 

Jennifer was being sabotaged at every turn!

 

Turn Lemons into Lemonade

 

So, here’s what I did….

 

I made a list of every “sabotage” I could think of. Then, with every new client, I went down the list and asked the client about each one.

 

Here’s where it gets good.

 

If the client told me that she didn’t think her husband would support her new program, I’d ask her to bring him in to the next meeting.

 

At the next meeting, I’d explain everything to the husband. I would go out of my way to let him know what a “key role” he played in his wife’s progress. That, yes, HE and his support was part of the program and instrumental to her success.

 

At the end of the meeting, I would look the husband square in the eyes and ask, “Can I count on you to do your part as your wife progresses on this journey?”

 

Not only did I get “buy-in” but in almost 40% of these cases, the husband would sign-up for a program of his own!

 

Results will vary. And, you won’t be able to cover it all… but it starts by making a LIST!

 

And, then, discuss each item on your list with the potential client before you get started.

 

They will love the fact that you’ve already thought of these obstacles and that you have SOLUTIONS!

---

Here’s the Most Powerful Welcome Letter Ever Written… for YOUR NEW CLIENTS!